Since the thirteenth century Brandon has been connected to the sea by its river, the Little Ouse.
Until now.
Recent use of Brandon Lock for flood alleviation, and virtually no maintenance elsewhere on the river in 2024 and 2025, has broken this link. That boats can no longer reach Brandon means the economic benefits of work done and planned by the Town Council, Suffolk County Council, the Bridge Inn, and EA itself, to attract waterborne visitors to the town are unlikely to be fully realised.
Following an abortive attempt to reach Brandon by WBOC members in 2024, on Friday 21 November 2025, members of the Club tried again, setting off on from the Ship Inn at the junction of the Little Ouse and Ely Ouse.
Ivan Cane reports: “We had a good journey upstream to Hockwold. The first fallen tree was easy to pass, and we didn’t actually notice the second one. We had no trouble along the next section, although we noted that the left archway, (going upstream), of the railway bridge is now getting impassable. When we reached the lock/weir cut, tree three came into view. [Photos 1 & 2] As this substantial tree is across the deeper channel, it is diverting the current to the south bank. This is then faster, and carrying silt. As soon as the current passes the tree, it slows and deposits its silt in a bank across the river. Luckily, being in a Wilderness boat, we were able to raise the engine and, with our shallow draft, clear the bank. We then moored in a deep pool, previously identified by local paddleboarders, canoeists and wild swimmers, who had surveyed the area for us in advance.
We were welcomed by local canoeists and paddleboarders, as well as representatives from the Inland Waterways Association and other Ouse club members.
Hardly any boats now visit Brandon, many crews being dissuaded by social media reporting that longer boats are unable to turn below the weir. Brandon is now cut off from the national and local system of navigable waterways. The lock itself will soon enter its third year of waiting “for essential maintenance works”.
We hope that our efforts on behalf of the Fund Britain’s Waterways campaign will encourage the government to increase funding for the Environment Agency’s navigation assets.
